Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $782 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,305 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,828 in Nairobi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Nairobi 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$5.35 KES 692

119.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$38.02 KES 4,917

9.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$6.91 KES 894

53.98%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$2.39 KES 309

47.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.37

$0.71 KES 91.8

112.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.51 KES 65.5

90.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.31 KES 298

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$2.97 KES 385

49.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$0.94 KES 121

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$0.53 KES 68.1

256.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.64 KES 212

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$1.69 KES 218

48.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$11.74 KES 1,518

-28.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.84 KES 884

21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$5.44 KES 704

97.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$3.03 KES 392

-14.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.08 KES 140

35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$2.08 KES 269

-8.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.04 KES 135

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.06 KES 138

67.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.15 KES 149

90.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$0.70 KES 90.8

48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.79 KES 102

36.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$3.04 KES 393

34.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$11.67 KES 1,509

-11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$2.22 KES 287

-22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$2.82 KES 364

-8.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.75 KES 96.6

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$30.59 KES 3,956

-13.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$1.59 KES 205

105.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$1.50 KES 194

66.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$2.88 KES 372

12.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.56 KES 202

-16.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

37.58%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$20.4K KES 2.6M

14.76%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.9 MX$1,447

$34.70 KES 4,487

138.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.22 MX$388

$16.60 KES 2,147

33.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$39.54 KES 5,113

-25.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$43.29 KES 5,598

19.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$20.63 KES 2,667

-11.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$6.07 KES 785

-16.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,507

$202 KES 26.1K

-0.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$8,140 KES 1.1M

-35.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$18.28 KES 2,364

101.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$23.56 KES 3,047

68.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$66.4 KES 8,590

18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$56.7 KES 7,326

53.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$450 KES 58.2K

115.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$185 KES 23.9K

153.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$1,134 KES 146.6K

44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$417 KES 54.0K

192.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,558 KES 201.5K

153.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$886 KES 114.5K

633.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$416 KES 53.9K

59.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.84

-23.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $450 in Nairobi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $207 – making Nairobi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% more than Nairobi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,174 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nairobi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Nairobi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $202 in Nairobi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nairobi, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Nairobi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nairobi costs $782 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Nairobi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.